How to Push/Drive a horse?

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How to Push/Drive a horse? Moderators: luluwhit, gotothewhip, cindyt, crossspur, ForumAdmin Jump to page :	Last activity 2014-03-20 9:25 AM 5 replies, 2840 views View previous thread :: View next thread
General Discussion -> Barrel Talk


Kgirl Reg. Apr 2011	Posted 2014-03-20 7:09 AM Subject: How to Push/Drive a horse?
	So I think I’m kicking and I think I’m driving.. and then I look at my videos and my legs are moving but never touch the horses side and she isn’t going any faster than if I just sat there….. granted we are still in the 2/3D but I can tell she has more speed…. How do I teach myself to push?!?!
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Guiness Reg. Jul 2009	Posted 2014-03-20 9:05 AM Subject: RE: How to Push/Drive a horse?
Veteran Posts: 294	Sounds like you might be over kicking. Your horse might be anticipating your movements and not able to concentrate on her job. Have you tried just squeezing and then releasing as soon as you get better forward motion? In barrel racing less is more. The more you move your body around and get all crazy the slower the horse is going to go. You may just have a sleeping tiger on your hands.
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Crowned Image Reg. Jan 2011	Posted 2014-03-20 9:14 AM Subject: RE: How to Push/Drive a horse?
I Chore in Chucks Posts: 2882 Location: MD	For what it's worth I'm usually pretty paralyzed on top my horse and for some reason I can ride with my legs-- shape my horse-- but I apparently can't kick to save my life. Have you used an over/under? or a dressage whip? does that work for her? have you breezed her lately? For either of my two to even clock they do better with a good breezing before races, since I am awful at really driving/pushing them.
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TACKyPaints Reg. Sep 2011	Posted 2014-03-20 9:17 AM Subject: RE: How to Push/Drive a horse?
Elite Veteran Posts: 1032 Location: IL	I agree. My Paint mare is one that if you over kick or over whip/over under/etc she will just keep the same speed or slow down. In some of our pictures running home when I did over kick, the look in her eye says "Keep kickin' sweetheart, but I ain't going any faster when ya do that!" LOL My Paint mare & my OTTB mare I'm training are both very push style horses. I have to really ride aggressively to push them past a barrel to make their turn. But on the way home, I use my energy and body position to urge them on more. Maybe a thump or two on the shoulder and some smooching but that's it.
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cheryl makofka Reg. Jan 2011	Posted 2014-03-20 9:25 AM Subject: RE: How to Push/Drive a horse?
The Advice Guru Posts: 6419	I find it takes the horse to have confidence, and passion for the sport. I teach my horse to run in the field with vocal cues, and I use those same cues on the barrel pattern. If your horse has been doing barrels for years, you may never get any faster as their heart may not be in it.
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Kgirl Reg. Apr 2011	Posted 2014-03-20 9:25 AM Subject: RE: How to Push/Drive a horse?
	Well... I am very short so I making several little short kicks like trying to more so bump her but this is a new horse and she is so large that my legs dont seem to come in contact with her at all when kicking! All i'm kicking is the darn air! I'm used to running my little 14.2 bare and i had no problem with her! How do u know if you are over kicking? My body isn't getting crazy or all over or anything if anythign I just sit there and dont move enough! I'm getting better at better up out of the seat and more in the up/forwad positon while still being centered. I've almost mastered that! I havent used an over and under for years... I had tried once when i first began riding and ended up whipping myself in the face! lol! so i havent tried it since... i thought about getting one of those Ready Whips from trickedoutpony.com.... they look really nice and easy to use! Unfortunately i dont have anywhere to breeze at home... I have thumped on the shoulder with my hand on the way home but it dont seem to phase her at all.. she isn't slowing down or speeding up with that... ETA she has only been doing barrels for maybe 2-3 years ... she is 7 and was started late and never really hauled consistently until i purchased her last year Edited by Kgirl 2014-03-20 9:27 AM
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